What Lies Beneath?

There is a show titled Cities of the Underworld that I was hesitant to watch simply based on it's title. But then I gave it a try when the description of an episode intrigued me. It's really a fascinating series. It plays on the fact that as people walk the streets of cities they often have no idea what lies beneath their feet.

The one episode I refer to today first aired on October 26, 2008. You can check it out here. The show takes you beneath one of London's churches. Apparently, there is evidence that prominent leaders of this church went below ground to a sanctuary decorated with features of hell. And while it is speculated that it was only used on a short term basis there is evidence that satanic worship may have occurred there.

So I have some thoughts after watching this episode.

First, I have to wonder how the church body didn't sense these things happening. Surely there was some form of awareness. And maybe there was, and that is why there is evidence that the activities below the church were short-lived. Perhaps the Godly people of the day put a stop to it and the area below the church was left alone until the show made it known.

Secondly, the show dated these happenings to have occurred during the Victorian Era. I usually think of the Victorian Era as being filled with highly moral, strait-laced people who would never have allowed a step away from God's path. But, I guess I was wrong. Don't you think it strange that even in the midst of a time when God seemed to have an upper hand on life there was still an element of people who dabbled in the ways of darkness? I wonder, did they think they were above the laws of God that they could get away with it? Perhaps that was the thinking of the Hebrews whenever they created high places to honor false gods and idols. (1 and 2 Kings)

My question today is, "Does this still happen?" Do we put on a face and go about our daily activities all the while having something sinister lying below the surface? Do we show our true selves to others so that all levels of our being reflects who we are and what we think?

What lies beneath your skin? Is it a solid foundation in God? Is it the sandy ways of the world that will falter the moment life's winds become a hurricane? These are reflective questions to help you know yourself better. We need to ask these of ourselves regularly ... like an annual medical check-up. As the world continues to head into crazier ways of thinking we need to know what lies beneath so that we are not led astray.

The Uncertainties of Life

The last three weeks of my life have been something out of a soap opera. And I had to live through it. I hope none of you ever have to travel the same steps I have traversed. Let me give you a broad overview. At a point when I felt harmony had been reached, I was jolted into a position I never ever imagined I would find myself. I had been confident that I would not be taken from my place of solidarity. Then a threat was made, and before I could catch my breath tragedy beckoned. As victory over the affliction unfolded, the original threat returned from more than one side. Accusations and intimidation led to a shift in loyalties.

It's been a nightmare. Unfortunately, it's not over.

But, in the midst of all of this I have been comforted by the prayers of many. I have seen a miracle unfold before my eyes. In the despairing moments, the shoulders of friends and family have been there to catch the tears. The whispering songs of God prepare me and see me through.

I cling to the fact that God's victory has been claimed and He will do what He has to do to bring glory to His name. In the meantime, I look to Him. Through it all, as the song goes, my eyes are on Him. The One who is a father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow, a comforter to the wounded. I could not go on if it wasn't for my Lord.

I don't know if any of you struggle with emotional upheavals but I can only say that Jesus is the key to surviving and having strength to face each new day. He's not a person we can see with our eyes, but His presence is tangible and welcoming. Call on Him. He's there for you.